All items guaranteed authentic without limit

Open by appointment in Brooklyn, NY

Your cart

Your cart is empty

Continue shopping
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)]. Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer. Moscow: State Music Publishers. 1954. First.
Presentation copy of the great Russian composer's tenth symphony inscribed to the Greek conductor (translated from the Russian): "To dearest Dimitri Mitropoulos, as a sign of my deep respect for you. D. Shostakovich / January 1, 1955 / Moscow" in blue ink to the upper margin of the title page.  Title as printed "Десятая симфония."  4to.  Hardcover, decorative gray boards.  Lithograph.  [PN M. 24447 г].  Title (Instrumentation); 3–219 pp. (Publisher's Information).  Price marking to rear board "37 p. 40."  Pencil markings on 57 pages throughout the text in an unknown hand, likely that of Mitropoulos's heir, James Dixon.  Light wear to cover, moderate wear to spine, partial separation of binding and spine along inside front cover, else in fine condition.

Together with a xerox and translation of a remarkable TLS from the composer to Mitropoulos providing specific feedback on his 1954 recording of the symphony with the Philadelphia Orchestra.  15 March 1955, Moscow; 3 pp.  Shostakovich writes, in part and according to the included English-language translation, "Dear Mr. Mitropoulos: / It pleased me very much to receive the recording with the notes of my 10th Symphony in the performance of the Philadelphia Orchestra under your direction.  After listening to your notes, I received great satisfaction, as the work was studied and performed by you excellently. / However, I should like to make some remarks, part of which is possibly brought about by the deficits of the notes, which however, in the greater part was excellent."  Shostakovich goes on to give feedback along the lines of "the first violins, second violins, and violas should play espressivo e tenuto.  One note should not be detached from another," and concludes with "I will be most grateful to you if you will take into consideration these my remarks in your further performances of the 10th Symphony.  You, as a great artist, will understand that the better the performance the more demanding the composer.  Once again I am sending you my heartfelt gratitude for the great joy which you gave me by your performance.  I also want you to convey my warmest gratitude to all the artists of the orchestra who demonstrated in their work of performing my symphony genuine artistry and great mastery. / Please accept my best wishes. / Respectfully yours, / [Signature]"

Inscribed copies of the composer's symphonies are uncommon and we locate only one sold at auction in the past 25 years (Op. 60 sold for $11,600 at Sotheby's in 2009). The present example, inscribed to one of the most important conductors of the century and with an important retained letter (original copy not located) giving the composer's feedback, is a highly important and rare example.

The NY Times (October 6, 1955) describes Mitropoulos's performance of this work with the NY Philharmonic as a "revelation," noting that "the immense first movement attained its climax with the irresistible force of an incoming tide; the thunderous climax itself, and the pale, desolate ending seemed the inevitable result of purely musical logic." Dimitri Mitropoulos was Greece’s most prolific conductor and New York Philharmonic Music Director from 1949-1958.  Widely regarded as one of the most significant conductors of the twentieth century, he is best remembered for his significant recorded legacy and for his commitment in bringing new compositions to the stage of major symphony orchestras.  Indeed, it is thanks to his efforts that many of our current symphonic standards made their way into the repertory.  He gave World and American premiers of seminal works such as Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 and Schoenberg’s Erwartung, as well as other major works by Schoenberg, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and many others.  His personal collection has been held in private hands since his death in 1960, when it passed to conductor James Dixon, his student and protégé.  Mitropoulos came to consider Dixon his son, introducing him to conductors and performing arts institutions around the world, jumpstarting his career.  When Mitropoulos died in 1960 he left all his belongings, including his scores, to Dixon.  The bulk of the musical library has been subsequently gifted to the University of Iowa’s music library, but a selection of rare items have been selected to be offered for sale exclusively by Schubertiade Music & Arts.  These examples, many inscribed to the conductor from composers or associates, have only occasional markings from the conductor himself who committed all music to memory before his first rehearsal of the repertoire - a highly unusual method!  Some of these scores, however, were also subsequently used by James Dixon as part of his working reference library for many years and include his occasional markings.

Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony is 48 minutes of tragedy, despair, terror, and violence and two minutes of triumph. Since the end of the 1970s, the most widely accepted interpretation of the work has seen it as a depiction of the Stalin years in Russia.  Shostakovich certainly felt the capriciousness of Stalin’s rule first-hand – he was publicly denounced, his works proscribed, and his status reduced to that of a “non-person.” Friends and colleagues disappeared, many of them never to return. The horror of these years – and the collective sigh of relief that doubtlessly followed when Stalin died on March 5, 1953 – certainly make a plausible program for Shostakovich’s Tenth.  Testimony, the memoir published in English in 1979 whose reliability scholars have strongly called into question and those who knew Shostakovich have just as strongly affirmed, first introduced this program: “But I did depict Stalin in music in my next Symphony, the Tenth. I wrote it right after Stalin’s death, and no one has yet guessed what the Symphony is about. It’s about Stalin and the Stalin years.” The memoir appeared at a time when Shostakovich’s reputation in the West was at a low, and painting his Tenth as an indictment of Stalin could only help improve the situation. Traditionally, Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony has been dated to the summer of 1953, after Stalin’s death; the composer hadn’t written a symphony since an infamous 1948 crackdown proscribed his music. Recent scholarship has shown that the first movement’s two opening themes rework ideas from an abandoned 1946 violin sonata; the pianist Tatiana Nikolayeva asserted that Shostakovich composed the movement in the early part of 1951, simultaneously with his 24 Preludes and Fugues for piano, and completed the Symphony, perhaps in an early version, that year. Shostakovich’s own letters clearly date much of the work on the Symphony to the summer of 1953, but, in light of this other evidence, the work had definitely been stirring in the composer’s imagination for several years.

Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)] Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer

Schubertiade Music and Arts
SKU: 20194
Fast Shipping
Secure payment
Shipping calculated at checkout.

Have questions? Contact us

Secure payment

Printable Version
Shostakovich, Dimitri. (1906–1975) [Mitropoulos, Dimitri. (1896–1960)]. Symphony No. 10 in E-minor, Op. 93 – Presentation Copy to Dimitri Mitropoulos, together with an important retained copy of a Typed Letter from the Composer. Moscow: State Music Publishers. 1954. First.
Presentation copy of the great Russian composer's tenth symphony inscribed to the Greek conductor (translated from the Russian): "To dearest Dimitri Mitropoulos, as a sign of my deep respect for you. D. Shostakovich / January 1, 1955 / Moscow" in blue ink to the upper margin of the title page.  Title as printed "Десятая симфония."  4to.  Hardcover, decorative gray boards.  Lithograph.  [PN M. 24447 г].  Title (Instrumentation); 3–219 pp. (Publisher's Information).  Price marking to rear board "37 p. 40."  Pencil markings on 57 pages throughout the text in an unknown hand, likely that of Mitropoulos's heir, James Dixon.  Light wear to cover, moderate wear to spine, partial separation of binding and spine along inside front cover, else in fine condition.

Together with a xerox and translation of a remarkable TLS from the composer to Mitropoulos providing specific feedback on his 1954 recording of the symphony with the Philadelphia Orchestra.  15 March 1955, Moscow; 3 pp.  Shostakovich writes, in part and according to the included English-language translation, "Dear Mr. Mitropoulos: / It pleased me very much to receive the recording with the notes of my 10th Symphony in the performance of the Philadelphia Orchestra under your direction.  After listening to your notes, I received great satisfaction, as the work was studied and performed by you excellently. / However, I should like to make some remarks, part of which is possibly brought about by the deficits of the notes, which however, in the greater part was excellent."  Shostakovich goes on to give feedback along the lines of "the first violins, second violins, and violas should play espressivo e tenuto.  One note should not be detached from another," and concludes with "I will be most grateful to you if you will take into consideration these my remarks in your further performances of the 10th Symphony.  You, as a great artist, will understand that the better the performance the more demanding the composer.  Once again I am sending you my heartfelt gratitude for the great joy which you gave me by your performance.  I also want you to convey my warmest gratitude to all the artists of the orchestra who demonstrated in their work of performing my symphony genuine artistry and great mastery. / Please accept my best wishes. / Respectfully yours, / [Signature]"

Inscribed copies of the composer's symphonies are uncommon and we locate only one sold at auction in the past 25 years (Op. 60 sold for $11,600 at Sotheby's in 2009). The present example, inscribed to one of the most important conductors of the century and with an important retained letter (original copy not located) giving the composer's feedback, is a highly important and rare example.

The NY Times (October 6, 1955) describes Mitropoulos's performance of this work with the NY Philharmonic as a "revelation," noting that "the immense first movement attained its climax with the irresistible force of an incoming tide; the thunderous climax itself, and the pale, desolate ending seemed the inevitable result of purely musical logic." Dimitri Mitropoulos was Greece’s most prolific conductor and New York Philharmonic Music Director from 1949-1958.  Widely regarded as one of the most significant conductors of the twentieth century, he is best remembered for his significant recorded legacy and for his commitment in bringing new compositions to the stage of major symphony orchestras.  Indeed, it is thanks to his efforts that many of our current symphonic standards made their way into the repertory.  He gave World and American premiers of seminal works such as Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 and Schoenberg’s Erwartung, as well as other major works by Schoenberg, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and many others.  His personal collection has been held in private hands since his death in 1960, when it passed to conductor James Dixon, his student and protégé.  Mitropoulos came to consider Dixon his son, introducing him to conductors and performing arts institutions around the world, jumpstarting his career.  When Mitropoulos died in 1960 he left all his belongings, including his scores, to Dixon.  The bulk of the musical library has been subsequently gifted to the University of Iowa’s music library, but a selection of rare items have been selected to be offered for sale exclusively by Schubertiade Music & Arts.  These examples, many inscribed to the conductor from composers or associates, have only occasional markings from the conductor himself who committed all music to memory before his first rehearsal of the repertoire - a highly unusual method!  Some of these scores, however, were also subsequently used by James Dixon as part of his working reference library for many years and include his occasional markings.

Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony is 48 minutes of tragedy, despair, terror, and violence and two minutes of triumph. Since the end of the 1970s, the most widely accepted interpretation of the work has seen it as a depiction of the Stalin years in Russia.  Shostakovich certainly felt the capriciousness of Stalin’s rule first-hand – he was publicly denounced, his works proscribed, and his status reduced to that of a “non-person.” Friends and colleagues disappeared, many of them never to return. The horror of these years – and the collective sigh of relief that doubtlessly followed when Stalin died on March 5, 1953 – certainly make a plausible program for Shostakovich’s Tenth.  Testimony, the memoir published in English in 1979 whose reliability scholars have strongly called into question and those who knew Shostakovich have just as strongly affirmed, first introduced this program: “But I did depict Stalin in music in my next Symphony, the Tenth. I wrote it right after Stalin’s death, and no one has yet guessed what the Symphony is about. It’s about Stalin and the Stalin years.” The memoir appeared at a time when Shostakovich’s reputation in the West was at a low, and painting his Tenth as an indictment of Stalin could only help improve the situation. Traditionally, Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony has been dated to the summer of 1953, after Stalin’s death; the composer hadn’t written a symphony since an infamous 1948 crackdown proscribed his music. Recent scholarship has shown that the first movement’s two opening themes rework ideas from an abandoned 1946 violin sonata; the pianist Tatiana Nikolayeva asserted that Shostakovich composed the movement in the early part of 1951, simultaneously with his 24 Preludes and Fugues for piano, and completed the Symphony, perhaps in an early version, that year. Shostakovich’s own letters clearly date much of the work on the Symphony to the summer of 1953, but, in light of this other evidence, the work had definitely been stirring in the composer’s imagination for several years.

Recommended Products

Recently viewed